Some siblings fight. Others change the world. The accomplishments of these famous siblings have changed history.
15 Famous Siblings Who Changed History
Updated on May 29, 2025
Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and King Edward VI
All three of these 16th-century monarchs shared the same father, King Henry VIII, though each had different mothers. Here’s how the British family tree looked back then: Mary was the daughter of Henry VIII’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon; Elizabeth was the daughter of his second wife, Anne Boleyn; and Edward was the son of Henry’s third wife, Jane Seymour.
Edward VI ascended the throne at age 9, following Henry’s death in 1547. During his reign, he tried to remove Mary from the line of succession (due to their religious differences), but following Edward’s death of natural causes in 1553, Mary became queen anyway. Elizabeth became queen in 1558 following Mary’s death from natural causes.
Wilbur and Orville Wright
The Wright brothers are the perfect example of the unbreakable trust and shared vision between siblings willing to take risks together. As children, Wilbur and Orville Wright, the two middle children in a family of seven kids, were best buddies. Although they never went to college, they still managed to usher in the age of modern aviation. In 1903, the brothers achieved the first powered, sustained and controlled airplane flight. Two years later, they built and flew the first practical airplane, according to History.com. The two always shared credit and maintained a close relationship throughout their lives.
The Jackson Five
Before Michael Jackson launched his solo career, he was just one of The Jackson Five, comprised of himself and four of his brothers: Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon. Not only was The Jackson Five one of Motown’s most successful acts in the 1970s, but the Jacksons were also among the first black teen idols with a white audience. The Jackson Five weren’t the only musically gifted siblings in their family, however. Of the nine who survived infancy (Brandon, Marlon’s twin, didn’t), all—including LaToya, Randy, Janet and the eldest, Maureen—grew up to become professional musicians.
King Edward VIII and King George VI
When the sibling of a monarch ascends the throne, it’s almost always because the preceding monarch died with no legitimate heirs. But King Edward VIII was very much alive when his younger brother, Albert, ascended the throne as King George VI in 1936. In fact, he lived for 20 years after his younger brother’s death. Here’s the whole scandalous story of Edward VIII’s abdication.
King George VI was succeeded by his eldest daughter, who went on to rule as Queen Elizabeth II from Feb. 6, 1952, to Sept. 8, 2022. In 2015, she surpassed Queen Victoria to become the longest-reigning monarch in British history.
The Kennedy siblings
We can’t talk about famous siblings in history without touching on American royalty: The nine sons and daughters of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and Rose Kennedy each changed history in their own ways. From those you know by initial (ahem, JFK) to those you may not have heard of, here’s what to know about the famous siblings:
- Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.: The eldest son, a heroic Navy lieutenant who was killed in action during World War II
- John F. Kennedy: Beloved 35th U.S. president who was assassinated in 1963
- Robert F. Kennedy: U.S. senator and Democratic presidential candidate, whose platform of racial justice may have cost him his life
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver: Founder of the Special Olympics
- Jean Kennedy Smith: Former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland and founder of Very Special Arts, a nonprofit that helps disabled people engage in the arts
- Edward Moore Kennedy: U.S. senator for 50 years, who wrote 300 bills that were enacted into law
Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë
Charlotte (born 1816), Emily (born 1818) and Anne (born 1829) were the only Brontë sisters to survive childhood. Often left alone together, the isolated girls wrote stories to entertain themselves. In adulthood, each went on to become a novelist of some of the most well-recognized and well-respected classic books. Charlotte wrote Jane Eyre, Emily wrote Wuthering Heights and Anne penned Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Although Anne may be the lesser-known Brontë sibling, her novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, was a bestseller in 1848 and sold more copies than Emily’s 1847 novel, Wuthering Heights.
Venus and Serena Williams
California-born Venus and Serena Williams were the youngest of five sisters and barely out of toddlerhood when their dad, Richard, started teaching them tennis (he, himself, was self-taught). Richard’s intensity and the girls’ raw talent and dedication paid off: Venus and Serena developed into record-breaking, all-time champions and known-by-their-first-name cultural icons.
The sisters are also famous for their competitiveness with each other, which has only fueled their careers. Still, they maintained a loving relationship with each other off the court.
The Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers, an enormously popular comedy act from the early 1920s until the late 1960s, was made up of five real brothers. From oldest to youngest, they were: Chico, Harpo, Groucho, Gummo and Zeppo (not their real first names). Gummo dropped out of the act early on to become an agent, and Zeppo left the movie business altogether around 1933, after the making of Duck Soup. After 13 films, Chico and Harpo more or less retired, and Groucho began a second career as the host of You Bet Your Life.
George and Ira Gershwin
George wrote the music, Ira the lyrics, and together, the Gershwin brothers created a sound that some say defined the jazz age of the ’20s and ’30s. Born in 1896, Ira was the oldest of the four Gershwin siblings, with George (born 1898) the secondborn. From 1924 until George’s death from a brain tumor in 1937, these two uber-talents composed over two dozen Broadway and Hollywood scores, including the classic folk opera Porgy & Bess and the Tony Award–winning Crazy for You.
The Brothers Grimm
Whether or not you consider yourself a bookworm, you’ve likely heard of the Grimm brothers, whose storytelling has endured for centuries. Wilhelm Carl (born 1786) and his younger brother, Jacob Ludwig Carl (born 1785), wrote the folktale anthology Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Their stories remain some of the most popular fairy tales of all time and have inspired countless Disney adaptations.
Ann Landers and Abigail van Buren
Identical twin sisters Esther (Eppie) Pauline Friedman Lederer and Pauline (Popo) Esther Friedman Phillips were born in Iowa in 1918 and grew up to be the authors of the “Ann Landers” and “Dear Abby,” advice columns, respectively, with Ann Landers coming first. The sisters’ work inspired many a modern advice column. “Both columns were characterized by a straightforward tone, practical advice and a firm but modern moral sensibility,” writes the Jewish Women’s Archive. “In a change from previous advice columns, both women used humor, including sarcasm and one-liners, in their responses.”
The Kelly Brothers
Scott and Mark Kelly, one of the most well-known sibling duos in history, are identical twins from West Orange, New Jersey, who grew up to be the ground-breaking astronauts at the center of NASA’s 2015–2016 twins study. Researchers followed changes to Scott’s body after he spent a year in space, while Mark remained on Earth. What they found was that Scott’s year in space brought with it only minor changes in gene expression, a major step in understanding how space flight affects the human body.
The Mayo brothers
You probably know the Mayo Clinic as one of the finest hospital systems in the United States. What you may not know is that it was founded by brothers William and Charles Mayo, along with their father, William. All were gifted physicians, and their vision for medicine benefits modern patients more than a century after they began practicing. Today, the Mayo Clinic describes itself as a “nonprofit organization committed to clinical practice, education and research, providing expert, whole-person care to everyone who needs healing.”
Sarah and Angelina Grimké
Two of the most famous siblings in history, Sarah and Angelina Grimké broke all societal norms as they supported the abolition of slavery and upheld women’s rights in 19th-century America. Born into a wealthy Southern slave-owning family, they fiercely criticized the practice of slavery and became champions for equality. They proved that sibling collaborations could challenge and change entire societal systems, and their impact echoes through ongoing struggles for human rights and gender equality.
Vincent and Theo van Gogh
When it comes to famous siblings in history, the art world has few partnerships as emotionally intense or transformative as that of Vincent and Theo van Gogh. Although four years Theo’s junior, Vincent’s masterpieces might never have reached the world without his brother’s help. Theo was a steadfast supporter and critic of Vincent’s art—he offered unwavering emotional encouragement to the genius painter and helped him stay afloat in the midst of dwindling finances. Their letters reveal a deep and complex relationship full of dreams, despair and devotion, a testament to the powerful bond between them.
How have siblings influenced history?
Looking back, it’s obvious that famous siblings in history didn’t just make headlines—they left deep, lasting marks on the world. Whether through fighting injustice or creating timeless works of art, these siblings prove that when family members believe in one another, they can achieve the extraordinary.
Their stories still inspire us today to think bigger, dream together and change the world.
Why trust us
At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- History: “Wright Brothers”
- Britannica: “George VI”
- Britannica: “Grimké sisters”
- BBC: “The Bronte Sisters”
- USTA: “Black History Month Legends: Venus and Serena”
- The Marx Brothers: “Family”
- The Marx Brothers: “Chronology”
- Jewish Women’s Archive: “Birth of advice-givers Ann Landers and Abigail Van Buren”
- Space: “Astronaut Scott Kelly and His Twin Brother Are Still Identical, NASA Says”
- Mayo Clinic: “Solving the world’s toughest medical problems—one person at a time”
- PBS News: “The brilliant brothers behind the Mayo Clinic”
- Van Gogh Museum: “Brotherly love: Vincent and Theo”
